Taiwanese government asks Apple to blur military base on iOS 6 Maps

Apple's iOS 6 Maps app has prompted another complaint, with the Taiwanese government reportedly set to ask the Cupertino-based tech titan to blur a satellite view image of an military facility in northern Taiwan.

As first reported by AFP, officials are concerned that iOS 6 Maps provides clear satellite imagery (pictured, top) of the base and its $1.23 billion (£768m) long-range radar system.

David Lo, a spokesman for the Taiwanese military, acknowledged that the country has no legal authority to demand that images taken by commercial satellites be removed. But it will ask Apple to lower the resolution of the satellite images, like it has done in the past with Google Earth.

The Raytheon-developed radar system, purchased from the US in 2003, is still under construction but is expected to be done by year's end. When complete, it will be able to detect missiles from hundreds of miles away, AFP said.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but AFP reported that the company has not yet received a formal request from Taiwan.

At press time, a search for Taiwan's Hsinchu in the iOS 6 Maps app provides a relatively clear satellite view of the air base, though without knowing exactly where the radar system is located, nor what it looks like, it is hard to judge precisely.

If Taiwan and its resident tech giants like Asus and Gigabyte arouse your interest, stay tuned tuned for more as ITProPortal's own James Laird will be heading over to the emerging tech superpower in a couple of days for a TAITRA-organised industry tour beginning on 15 October that promises a steady stream of juicy, exclusive scoops.